Becoming a Mentor
Thank you for your interest in becoming a mentor! The mission of America Reads * America Counts (ARAC), a partnership between the University of Maryland and Prince George's County Public Schools, is to provide high quality mentoring in local schools that enriches learning opportunities for both college and elementary school students.
Learn more at one of our information sessions!
- Monday May 5th: 6:00 p.m. in room 2120 (JMZ)
- Tuesday May 6th: 6:00 p.m. in room 3205 (JMZ)
- Wednesday May 7th: 10:00 a.m. in room 0215 (SYM)
- Thursday May 8th: 2:00p.m. in room 0103 (JMZ)
Click here to download an application (pdf / doc)
To meet the priority deadline, applications should be sent to arac@umd.edu or returned to the ARAC Office (0144 Holzapfel Hall) by 5 p.m. by Tuesday, May 13th, 2008.
Program Descriptions
The ARAC office is home to three different mentoring programs:
- America Reads
Time: 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., M-F
Reads mentors must be available for at least 2 hours at a time during this time block, and be able to work aminimum of 4 hours a week.
Description: Mentors work one-on-one with 1st and 2nd grade students who are struggling with reading.
- America Counts
Time: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., M-F
Counts mentors must be available at least 1 day a week for the entire 2-5 p.m. time block.
Description: Mentors work with small groups of 4th graders who are struggling with math.
- Partners in Print
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m., Tues/Wed/Thurs
Mentors must be available for at least 1 (preferably 2 or 3) of the days every week for the entire 5:30-8 p.m.time block.
Description: Partners in Print mentors conduct workshops with parents and their Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade children. These workshops are centered on ways parents can engage their children in reading at home.Workshops are conducted in both English and Spanish - Spanish speakers needed!
Mentor responsibilities
All new mentors are required to attend an Orientation, Primary Training, and monthly Training & Development sessions to develop and further improve their mentoring and leadership skills.
Time Commitment
Each Mentor's schedule will depend on his/her availability. Mentors should plan their schedule to allow sufficient time for transportation, including traffic, both to and from the site. Transportation takes approximately 15-30 minutes, depending on which school you are assigned to.
Qualifications
Prior tutoring experience is not necessary and all majors are welcome to apply. The basic and most important qualifications are as follows.
All mentors must:
- Be enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park.
- Be committed to making a difference in the lives of young children.
- Be reliable and responsible.
- Be able to commit to working for the entire semester
Three ways you can work as a mentor
- Volunteer
- Internship as part of an academic department or class
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Federal Work Study: Paid federal work study positions start at $10 an hour. To find more about your financial aid package, visit http://www.testudo.umd.edu. Click on Financials and go to your financial aid package. To check if you have Federal Work Study, click on My Award. If you have not been awarded Federal Work Study, but have an unmet need (which can be found under My Budget), you can then apply for Federal Work Study at http://www.financialaid.umd.edu. Call the Financial Aid Office at 301-314-9000 for more information.
0144 Holzapfel Hall | College Park, MD 20742 | Phone: 301-314-READ | Fax: 301-314-7365 | arac@umd.edu
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